What they’re ‘appt’ to desire

Christmas stockings will be hung on the mantel shortly, and the one (or more) that carries a camo pattern will be stuffed with gear aimed at the outdoors consumer.

Call them anglers, hunters, campers, paddlers, boaters or birders, those consumers have needs specific to their individual pursuits as well as items of a more general nature.

Items of a general nature include a small binocular, a brimmed roll-up waterproof hat, lightweight foul weather gear, flashlights and a multi-tool such as a Gerber or Leatherman that serves as knife, pliers, saw, file and screw driver.

All that gear and more can be carried in the No. 1 gift for the outdoorsman — a Nylon mesh backpack with lots of pockets, loops and heavy-duty zippers. For the serious giver, the backpack — which holds more — can be hung on the mantel in place of the stocking.

But there are some gifts that are weightless, useful and either free or very cheap. Smartphone users know about apps, or applications, that can be installed on those phones. Check the apps store for compasses, levels, flashlights and other useful, usually free, stuff that is floating out there on the virtual shopping aisles.

Birders

Of particular interest to birders, most of whom already have floppy hats and binoculars in the glove box or backpack, are apps that offer more advantages than printed reference books. Check the apps store for Audubon Birds ($20), iBird Explorer ($15), National Geographic’s Handheld Birds ($10), Peterson Birds of North America ($15) or The Sibley eGuide to the Birds of North America ($20). Some guides include audio bird songs, nest photos and other details.

Paddlers

Before heading off into the software app world, stop by the sporting goods store and pick up a dry bag or two or three. Dry bags ($15 and up) are very handy for keeping stuff dry, especially the smartphones that carry such apps as the compass (free) and the kayaker’s checklist (99 cents) of 130 items to take on the next outing. The checklist starts with (can you guess?) a dry bag, but follows with duct tape, a knife and fishing gear. RiverGuide ($4.99) has details on about 10,000 rivers.

Anglers

Fishing folks are really into hardware. A new rod such as the Falcon Lowrider series for spin-fishermen offers quality at a reasonable price. A standard rod won’t fit in a stocking or backpack, but a travel rod certainly will. San Antonio rod-builder David Mata — at facebook.com/biminirods — can build a 7-foot (3×28) custom travel rod for $350. For the app-minded, there are tide tables, weather reports and sunrise/sunset times available for the palm of the hand.

Hunters

These folks already have guns, bows, knives, a binocular, boots and maybe a dry bag, so what about something different, again from the app world? For the iPhone, there is the Hunting Light and Blood Tracker ($2.59). This app has white, blue and green light as well as the “blood tracking filter,” which the maker claims will enhance the blood trail left by a wounded animal. Interesting idea, but not sure how or if it works. There is a range-finder app, too, that is free. If the hunter is a golfer, he may already have it in his phone.

A meat grinder ($100-$1,000) for the sausage maker in the house is not a stocking stuffer, but it’s a useful gift that allows the harvest of the deer season and the product of a pig shoot to be processed fresh throughout the year.

Campers

You name it and there’s a gift app for campers, whether the receiver is a big-bus boy (ranges from Wal-Mart parking lot camping spots to gasbuddy.com) or more the sleeping-bag and pup-tent type (allstays.com). The number of app options is overwhelming in the price range of free to $5.

Misc.

Wrist ropes, for lack of a better term, showed up a few years back, a lot of times on the wrists of military veterans and seasoned outdoorsmen. They are braided (usually by the wearer) from heavy Nylon parachute cord that is rated at a breaking strength of 500 pounds or more. They come in any color scheme for you maroon and burnt-orange types, and they appear to be for decoration. They have greater import for the outdoors. A simple 8-inch wristband contains about 9 feet of cord, an 18-inch dog collar (with D ring) or lanyard has about 22 feet of cord. As needed, the wrist rope can be unbraided to supply rope in an emergency situation. Wrist bands at flea markets are about $10; dog collars $16-$20. In an emergency, they can be priceless — and they fit easily in a Christmas stocking.